Travels in China

First published:

Friday 4 November 2011 3:37PM

If the experts are correct, then this century will belong to China - the place where five thousand years of history and culture are clashing head on with an unprecedented wave of production, consumerism and materialism.

The changes taking place within this most dynamic of destinations are occurring at impossible speed, altering the cities, the environment and the fabric of life for Chinese people across the country. The building boom taking place is not just for high rise flats or skyscrapers, there is also an explosion in the creative arts and the building of vast and impressive cultural institutions; new Opera Houses and Performing Arts Centres in most Chinese cities today.

Phillip Adams takes Late Night Live on a journey to try to understand what makes China tick, to uncover how people at every level of society are responding to the 'new China'. This is a journey which takes the past into account, as we ask: what fuels their determination and how long can China continue at its current speed?

Join Phillip as he travels from Hong Kong to the countryside of Guilin in Guangxi province - acclaimed for its beautiful limestone pinnacles and spires which stretch across the southern part of China - to the political capital of Beijing, and the New York of China, Shanghai.

Comments (2)

Veronie Martin :

05 Jan 2012 8:27:22am

Can't get enough of Phillip Adams' china travels. Absolutely brilliant.Phillips expert interviewing style makes the whole series so interesting I listened to the original broadcast and don't intend to miss any of the repeats. "Great Stuff Phillip"

Myles Farley :

06 Feb 2012 2:03:53pm

Dear Philip,

I have just finished listening to your podcasted travels in China. Thanks for such a fascinating and compelling perspective on a country we should all know much more about. Your program's focus on the Australian-China connection was all the more captivating for its look beyond the much talked-about economic and trade links. The interviews with the outgoing ambassador, the Dorothy McAlester citing professor and the group of Australian studies students were greatly insightful. I also greatly enjoyed your tours of the new cultural centres sprouting up around the increasingly artistically confident country. Your vivid descriptions made it seem like all us gladies and podies were there with you. Thanks for inspiring my interest in the country. I now long to travel around the country for myself.

Travels in China

Hong Kong's handover to the Chinese in 1997 was the last time Phillip Adams and Late Night Live were in China. But Phillip observes that little has changed and Hong Kong has become a template for the rest of China.

China is pouring billions of yuan into building entertainment and cultural venues right around the country. High rise goes hand in hand with high culture in China and the promotion and support of new opera houses, dance and artistic institutions in most cities. In Guangzhou this year a brand new opera house opened, located on the banks of the Pearl River, designed by Zaha Hadid, and said to rival the Sydney Opera House. Phillip talks first to Grant Dooley, Australia's Consul General in Guangzhou, about the importance of this city to trade, and Lai Shuchun talks about the role of the Opera House in this expanding city.

This program goes off the beaten track to a small village on the outskirts of Guilin. Phillip learns first hand about local agricultural produce, visits a local school, meets the local mayor and learns how to make tofu under the watchful eye of Michael the tour guide.

About 45 minutes outside of Guilin is an extraordinary sculpture park called Yuzi Paradise—or Fool's Paradise—set on 1300 acres, with over hundreds of sculptures from artists all over the world, dedicated to the promotion of contemporary art and culture in China. After ten years and over US$100 million investment, the park opened in 2006. There is also an extraordinary hotel sited there and this is all the dream of Taiwanese billionaire Mr Rhy-Chang Tsao.

Special guest Jeremy Goldkorn, is founder and editor of Danwei.com, a website first started to cover the news in English in China to reflect what was going on in the lives of real people. Phillip talks to him about the likelihood of continued economic growth, religion in China, insecurity regarding land-tenure, and other social issues. We visit a 500 year old village near a wild part of the Great Wall near Chen Jia Pu, to speak to Jeremy and a local farmer.

As celebrations for the 90th anniversary of the Communist Party of China subside, internal debates continue over the need for further reform and jostling for next year's leadership change continues to be played out. How ready is the Communist Party for change?

In 1958 the Chinese government set up a household registration system, designed to ensure that government welfare and resources reached those that needed it, and for the purposes of migration control and criminal surveillance. All this changed following the economic reforms of the late 70s, and the easing of the restriction on movement has brought rapid changes in urbanisation, with migrant workers playing an enormous role in the economic and manufacturing growth of China. Lijia Zhang began her working life in a munitions factory and understands the plight of migrant workers.